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A possible Tricoloured Heron has been reported from Port Oriel, Co Louth today (Irish Birding). This is a common species on the east coast of the US and if a genuine vagrant would be a first Irish record.
Update 1st August: the bird now seems to be an odd Grey Heron, possibly an immature with some plumage discolouration.

For everyone disappointed at the news above and dreaming of what might have been here are a couple of shots of the real thing taken in Florida in July.

An adult Mediterranean Gull was at Kilclief, Co Down today (the bay just south of the GAA pitch). 9 Common Sandpipers were around the Blackstaff River at Dundrum North Inner Bay as well as 3 little Egrets and 15 Greenshanks. A further 11 Greenshanks were at Dundrum South Inner Bay (David Nixon)

Four peregrine falcons which had been nesting at Glenwherry near Ballymena are believed to have been killed.
The two adult and two chick Peregrine Falcons went missing from the area on the Glenhead Road. One of the chicks was later discovered fatally injured and it is believed it may have been shot.

The other birds are also thought to have been killed and Police have said they are treating it as animal cruelty.

Police investigations are continuing and they want anyone with information to contact them on 0845 600 8000.

We would also remind everyone of the importance of not publicising breeding raptor sites.

A Pectoral Sandpiper, 8 Common Sandpiper and 2 Sanderling were at Belfast harbour Lagoon (Stuart McKee).

A second-year Glaucous Gull was along the seafront at Ballycastle (Colin Guy)

5 Little Egret were at Inner Dundrum Bay at low tide around midday today (Robert Scott)
Another group of Little Egrets, 6 in number, were at Cadew Point, near Ballydorn, Strangford Lough (Frank Burton)
Two Great Skua were on Rathlin Island.

Yesterday a bird of prey with jesses was seen on the road at Killynether near Scrabo before taking off. If you know anything about it please let us know.

Thanks to Alistair Prentice for the picture below of a Sandwich Tern at Groomsport. You can see more pictures from local photographers at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk

A Knot, 6 Ruff and 4 Greenshank were at Lough Beg (David Steele).
3 Common Sandpiper, 4 Knot coming out of summer plumage, a summer Turnstone and at least 650 Black-tailed Godwit were at Belfast harbour Lagoon. The second-summer Ring-billed Gull was at Groomsport (George Gordon).

In south Down last night 26 Storm Petrel were ringed and 3 controlled at Sheepland. One of the controls had been ringed in Portugal (Declan Clarke).

A dark phase Arctic Skua was off Groomsport (George Gordon).

In Donegal a raft of 1,200 Manx Shearwater was off Malin Head. 3 Chough and at least one Bottle-nosed Dolphin were also noted (Richard Gray).

Our thanks to Ed O'Hara for the top photograph of a Common Sandpiper which was one of four at Oxford Island to-day. Also to Stephen Maxwell for the photograph of the now long staying Ring-billed Gull at Groomsport

Our thanks to everyone who sends in information/photographs/texts/e-mails,without all your contributions then this blog would not be possible.

Long-eared Owl is an uncommon breeding resident in Northern Ireland. There is also some evidence that we host migrant birds in winter. Getting a glimpse of one is always a pleasure for any birder. However David Lewis had been observing a bird in recent months at Myroe but he recently found it dead along the Seacoast Road, Limavady. It had presumably been hit by a vehicle.

Thanks to Adam McClure for some further information on the Red Kites. Below are pictures of a bird which was tagged as Red 60. It's parents are Black D and Black P and this is the third year in a row they have raised a single chick.
This pair (Black P & Black D) have held a territory near Leitrim just outside Castlewellan since 2010. They've both been adopted by schools in south Down and are known as Paprika and Dobbin!

The RSPB have announced that in total, at least 14 young fledged (all in Co Down) during this year’s breeding season, the highest since the reintroduction project began here in 2008. One of the highlights of the 2012 season was the discovery of a new pair near Rathfriland, the male of which is lucky to be alive. In April 2011, Blue 22 was discovered lying in a field by some local residents, apparently suffering from the effects of ingesting poison. They were able to contact RSPB staff in the area who took the bird into care and after several rehabilitation, Blue 22 was re-released into the wild. The bird raised two chicks this year.
Thanks to Stephen Maxwell for the recent picture of a Red Kite:

The 2 Little Gull remain at the RSPB Belfast Harbour Estate,along with 8 Common Sandpiper a Greenshank(see photo above)and also two juv Redshank which probably breed somewhere in Northern Ireland,early signs perhaps of a little bit of early movement. (S.McKee)

A Great Skua and 4 Common Sandpiper were at Whitehead (Cameron Moore).

A probably Osprey was at Lough Melvin which is on the Fermanagh / Leitrim border (Birdwatch Sligo)
There was a summer plumaged Bar-tailed Godwit and a Common Sandpiper out at Killard today(C.Nash)
The second-summer Ring-billed Gull was at Groomsport.

Yesterday 140 Dunlin and 2 Red-throated Diver were at Magilligan Point (Lowell Mills).

also yesterday a Pomerine Skua about 10 miles north east of the Maidens. Just in Northern Ireland waters by a whisker.(R.Woods)

In case any followers of NI Birds wish to comment or might simply be interested, this is the link to the recent Belfast Telegraph article drawing attention to the perilous state some of NI's breeding waders and other wildlife is in.

On a related subject, Chris Murphy would like to give a talk to local biodiversity officers, councillors, MLAs, school teachers, club leaders, etc. about the wonderful birds and wildlife of Lough Beg. Its part of our campaign, Lough Beg for Life, through which he is trying to raise awareness of the value of this fantastic wetland in the hope that public opinion will ultimately swing the proposed re-routing of the A6 away from the lough which will never be the same again if the road is allowed to go through the Creagh and within c.150m. of Paddy's Dub. I'm not much of a bird/wildlife photographer myself and so have very little relevant material with which to illustrate such a talk. Chris is asking any photographers willing to let him use their work for the purpose of conservation to contact me. All photographers will be acknowledged.

If anyone has relevant photographs please contact this blog and we will happily forward them to Chris.

Last night in south Down 23 Storm Petrel were ringed and 1 controlled at Sheepland (Declan Clarke).

Along the north coast 33 Storm Petrel were ringed and 4 controlled at Ballyreagh (Richard Hoy).

Yesterday 4 Common Sandpiper and 300 Black-tailed Godwit were at Belfast Harbour Lagoon. Another 6 summer plumage Black-tails were at the adjacent landfill site and a Greenshank was at Dargan Bay. A Greenshank and 9 Common Sandpiper were at the Blackstaff at Dundrum Inner Bay North (Richard Gray).
3 Common Sandpiper were seen along the Newry Estuary this morning (Frank Carroll)

Four Red Kite were at Castlewellan (Irish Birding)

Thanks to Martina Boyle for this picture of a Swallow chick. There are more pictures at: www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk

An Immature Golden Eagle was at Agnews Hill, near Larne, last seen flying NE at about 15.30 (Clive Mellon)
The Hobby was seen again at the Montiaghs (E.O'Hara)
An Arctic Skua was off Groomsport (George Gordon).
Yesterday a second-summer Glaucous Gull was at the mouth of the River Bush at Portballintrae (Colin Guy).
A Reed Warbler was along the Tyrone shore of Lough Neagh at Blackers Rock (Godfrey McRoberts).
15 Storm Petrel were ringed at Sheepland near Ardglass (Declan Clarke).

Thanks to Stephen Maxwell for the picture of a Common Tern below. You can see more pictures at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk

This is the Med Gull seen at Whitehouse Lagoon yesterday.It carries the ring number. 32LU.A Med Gull seen recently at the RSPB Belfast Harbour Estate carried the ring number 32LL. Stuart McKee who photographed the above bird is wondering if both birds are from the same location, which was Belgium.

An adult Rose-coloured Starling is at Malin Beg, Co Donegal. (Chris Ingram)
The Ring-billed Gull remains at Groomsport.
Thanks to Alex Coroliu for these pics of a Moorhen, taken at RSPB Belfast.
You can see more pictures at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk

Welcome

This site is run by a voluntary group of birders documenting and recording information about the birds and wildlife of Northern Ireland. We provide information on rarities and interesting sightings so that others can enjoy. The sightings on this blog are not accepted records - rarities need to be confirmed, see https://nirbc.blogspot.co.uk/